MidwayUSA Attends Friends of NRA Anniversary with NRA VIPs

One of the highlights of this historic event was the attendance of several special guests from NRA Headquarters – Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre, Executive Director of General Operations Kayne Robinson, and 1st Vice President Jim Porter. Friends of NRA TV hosts Jessie and Matt Duff also attended the festivities. On morning of the banquet, the group also had a great time shooting a round of sporting clays at a local sports club.

“When you go to a Friends of NRA event, you’ll see people there you never knew were NRA supporters,” said Larry Potterfield. “While MidwayUSA might have been the founding sponsor of this program, there are many supporters in the Columbia community and across America that have been major contributors from the very beginning, and they deserve just as much credit for its success.”

The evening consisted of silent and live auction items, speeches from Wayne LaPierre, Jim Porter, Kayne Robinson, Larry and Brenda Potterfield, as well as a special ceremony for three of the original committee members that helped create the first Friends of NRA fundraising party.

“Recognizing that America’s young people represent the future of the shooting sports, the money raised at this event will help fund youth firearm safety and education programs, hunter education, range development and improvements along with other firearm related activities,” said NRA Senior Field Representative Gregg Pearre. “The Mid-Missouri committee did an outstanding job organizing and running this banquet. It was their best effort to date by far.”

Since the program was created in 1992, over 14,000 banquets have raised over $180 million nationwide. Over $700,000 of the money raised came from the Mid-MO chapter, who is ranked as one of the top 25 chapters in the nation. This year’s Mid-MO banquet brought together more than 1,100 people and raised over $92,000, the largest fund raising effort since the chapter hosted their first event back in 1992. Thanks to the generous support from the Potterfields and other major contributors, the money raised will be granted to Boy Scout troops, 4-H and FFA clubs and other youth shooting sports across the state.